Hi Bryan McWhorter here with Safeopedia and another safety moment. We're continuing with our series on safety management system simplified.
Again, we can get overwhelmed by the complexity of the system. So we want to break it down to easy, to look at components. Remember those five components are starting with Hazard Identification and Control, Training, Inspections, Incident Investigations and finally Documentation and Reporting.
So let's look at that third one, inspections. I'm sure you inspected to be doing inspections. I guess that'd be expected to do inspect. Anyway, inspections are a major part of, uh, having a safety management system in place. When you first do that hazard identification and control, that was kind of a snapshot of how things work at that point in time. Things could change. Programs like 5s, Plus One are great where you create, say a 10 or 15 point check sheet that employees use at the beginning or the end of each shift, just to make sure that like, uh, all blades are put know a way there's no exposed knives or anything like that, that all containers are labeled.
There's no slip trip hazards lighting is okay. All tools are put up, you get the idea. We want to, again, break down our inspections, make sure that we have them all copied or, uh, all written down who or what needs to be done. Say every shift like forklift inspections, just like that. Pre-flight check a pre-flight checklist that plane uses before flying. If you're driving a forklift, you have to do a pre safety inspection on that forklift, every shift. Same thing, say for a crane. So your program from your HIRA. Your hazard will show, um, all the inspections that you need to do and just copy those down and have them all listed. What needs to happen by shift daily, weekly, monthly, and then put audits in place of your own internal audits and just make sure that those are actually happening the way they need to be.
It's easy to create a system and then people neglect it for a little bit. And it falls apart that they stopped doing the 5s. It hasn't been done in a week or two. No one said anything about it. Well, I guess that's not important. Again, these are like living documents, things change. Life is dynamic. It's messy. Things happen all the time. So we need inspections in place to revisit facilities areas, you know, making sure that, um, fire extinguishers are where they're supposed to be, uh, that, uh, electrical cabinets aren't blocked that first aid cabinets are well-stocked any component that you have there for people's safety. You need checks in place to make sure that it stays that way. Um, AEDs need to be checked regularly, make sure the batteries are functioning, uh, uh, pads aren't out of date things along that line. So again, follow OSHA's guidelines for whatever programs you've been identified as needing as part of that HIRA.
So again, inspections are very important component and once they're identified, put in place, follow your system, you'll be fine. And again, you can rest easy knowing that the inspections that need to happen by shift daily, weekly, monthly are all being done and documented them. You can, uh, you know, easily verify that they're happening and again, check sheets things along that line are great. And then if OSHA does ever come knocking, or you decide to go for OSHA VPP or a OSASS 18001, man, you're well on your way, you're kind of proud to show off what you're doing in the name of safety and how you're keeping people safe until next time Brian McWhorter was Safeopedia stay safe.
Check out all five of the Safety Management System Simplified; Hazard Identification and Control, Training, Inspections, Incident Investigations and Documentation and Reporting.